Squats and Neck Pain

I can't squat not because I have bad knees but because it hurts my neck so much. I think I am so (skinny) that I don't have any meat back there to support the weight. I have tried bunching up a towel and putting it back there but I'm not sure this is a good idea...Would I be best off just to do leg presses? (from James)

You are right in appraising your towel tactic as a bad idea. This can create slippage, a shift of weight and an injury I doubt you want to visit.

Leg presses will certainly increase your comfort level but they will not be as effective as the squat for building muscle. The reason for this is their inability to as effectively work the accessory muscles. This being said, the leg press is certainly a better choice than doing squats with bad form.

Before giving up on the squat, try positioning the bar lower. It should not be resting on the neck but rather just above the rear deltoids (at the very top of the back). Get under the bar (which should be positioned about shoulder heighth on the squat rack), push the shoulders back and then grip the bar resting the weight just below the shoulders.

Alternatively, a great product that addresses this very issue is Adfit's Manta Ray. This is a strange looking device made from polyurethane that acts to distribute the weight load. It really works. It will definitely take care of your problem.

A final thought on squats... Think FORM, FORM, FORM. Use light weights until you have mastered correct form.

JP Clifford

Building Muscle without Weights

Due to circumstances, I don't have access to any weights. Are there any exercises I can do that don't require any equipment? I am wanting to build up my upper body. (from Lane)

The key to building muscle is progressive overload, the gradual increase in resistance used. The easiest and best way to accomplish this is by using weights. While we all think of weights as those circular things in the gym that have their poundage embossed on them, just a little dose of "out-of-the-box" thinking leads to the realization that weights are all around us. Books, plastic jugs filled with varying amounts of water or sand, bags of fertilizer and other objects can be used in lieu of weight plates.

Use of these items, or the use of your bodyweight alone, can let you do just about all the exercises important to building muscle. You can review those exercises on these pages: Chest/Back, Arms/Shoulders/Abs, Legs.

Here are some great exercises that can be done effectively with bodyweight alone.

• Push-ups
  
• Pull-ups
  
• Bar Dips (two chairs)
  
• Crunches
  
• Bench Dips

Creativity is the key when it comes to increasing your resistance. For example, with push-ups you can use weight placed on your back (books, a small child ), one-armed push-ups, or handstand push-ups.

While your stated goal is to build up your upper body, don't forget about your legs. Effectively working your legs, which will require more resistance, without traditional weights and a squat rack can be more of a challenge but this isn't an area you want to just ignore. The body likes to grow all at once.

In the end, your ability to reach your muscle building goals will not be dependent on the equipment you have but rather your determination. Too many people blame the lack of this or that (from supplements to equipment to time) for their inability to bulk up. Really, the only thing that can prevent you from moving towards your goals is a lack of perseverance.

JP Clifford

Gain Weight with Bananas?

I eat 12 bananas a day to increase weight because people say that bananas are good for gaining weight. Is this correct? Or should I spend my money on chicken? (from Z.K.)

Bananas have the reputation for causing weight gain for good reason. They are very high in simple carbs. Eating a lot of them will make you gain weight but it probably won't be from muscle. If you have ever known a person who is a long-time vegetarian or at least very much limits meat in their diet, you will typically see a person that doesn't have very defined muscles (flabby). This is due to a lack of protein.

On a weight gain diet where new muscle is the goal, you want your carbohydrate intake to account for no more than 50% of your daily diet. A regular banana has only 3 grams protein as compared to 37 grams carbs. Eating so many bananas, where you will be consuming 12 grams of carbs for every one gram of protein, is going to make it more difficult to achieve your diet goals. Looking at the GI value of bananas, they are neither the best source of carbs or the worse.

I wouldn't necessarily cut bananas completely out of your diet but perhaps make them a smaller part of it. They are a great source of potassium and fiber. Maybe cut down to 2 or 3 a day and spend your left over money on chicken (high in protein).

Resources:

About Carbohydrates and the Weight Gain Diet

Nutrient Values of Foods

Glycemic Index Database

JP Clifford

Gain Muscle by Training Less

I play safety for my football team and need to get a lot bigger by next season. I have just made my plan and wanted to see if you see anything to add... I will be eating a lot and bought Weight gainer Gold 2200. I plan to drink one shake a day plus increasing all other food as much as I can. My workouts will be chest and back and abs on Monday and Thursday, legs on Tuesday and Friday, and biceps, shoulders and abs on Wednesday and Saturday. I will also do running at least twice a week and I play basketball a lot for cardio but I really just want to get bigger and then I can get in shape....(from Curt)

Wow. I assure you I don't have anything to add. I might suggest a few subtractions however.

First off, I don't think it is very realistic that you would keep with this plan. It sounds like a killer, literally. I think you are under the impression that the more you do, the better your results will be. This thinking will get you a long ways in life with regards to a great many things but it will likely leave you very frustrated when pursuing muscle and weight gains. Often times when trying to build muscle, less is more.

I suggest you cut Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays out of your workout schedule and limit your workouts to about one hour each. This isn't advice that is given because I don't think you're motivated enough to do 6 workouts a week but rather it is given because I think you will get better results with such a schedule. Your muscles need time to grow. They grow at rest, not during the actual training. Go here for more on designing a weight training program and take note of the overtraining concerns discussed here.

Instead of just drinking a weight gainer and eating as much as you can, I encourage you to take a little more scientific approach to your diet. Check out the Weight Gain Diets page for some suggestions.

The specific weight gainer you described isn't the best available for muscle building. It provides a lot of its calories through simple carbs which could lead to excessive bodyfat gain. When you run out of the stuff you have, I suggest you look into Prolab's N-Large 2 as an alternative.

In summary, trying to do too much too quick can really backfire on you. I doubt the plan you described would have you gaining all that much muscle. Instead, it would probably leave your body worn out and unresponsive. Take it easy and be smart. That is where the results are.

JP Clifford